Friday, 5 December 2025, with the return of professional boxing to Teatro Principe in Milan after six years of absence, Diego Lenzi imposed himself with a spectacular KO over Gora Niang, the Senegalese giant over two meters tall who had stepped into the ring with a record of 7-2-2 (with 7 KOs in the win column). The evening, promoted by OPI Since 82 in collaboration with Fight Club Fragomeni, represented not only the return of boxing to the historic Milanese venue, but also an opportunity to put new talents of Italian boxing in the spotlight.
Lenzi — in his third fight as a professional — showed maturity, strength and determination: in the fifth round he landed a devastating hook that sent Niang to the canvas, followed by a series of repeated blows that left the opponent no chance, forcing the referee to stop the match.
A KO that counts double
Lenzi’s victory is not only a matter of record (bringing him to 3-0 as a pro), but has a very large symbolic and practical value: stepping into the ring at Teatro Principe — a temple historically linked to Milanese boxing — and triumphing with a clear KO means rebirth for a young man like him, and a clear signal of the vitality that boxing is trying to regain in Italy.
Niang, despite his considerable physical advantage and experience in previous matches, was unable to counter Lenzi’s pressure and determination: the difference in impulse and perhaps in strategy was felt, and the fifth-round KO is the clearest testimony of that.
The context: the return of boxing to Teatro Principe
The event of 5 December 2025 marks the return of professional boxing to Teatro Principe in Milan after six years, in a place that has made the history of Italian boxing. The event is organized by OPI Since 82 and Fight Club Fragomeni, and is presented as an evening to relaunch the Milan ring.
The main event featured the match for the WBC Silver Interim welterweight title between Akrem Aouina and Tom Hill, but the card also included carefully selected undercard bouts to give visibility to young boxers and emerging prospects — among these Lenzi vs Niang was one of the most anticipated matches.
The event represents a mix of tradition and renewal: bringing boxing back to a theatre that has hosted ring legends, while focusing on new talents to relaunch the national boxing movement.
